A CONGREGATION OF THE DEAD

Proverbs 21:16

Introduction: The Bible teaches that there is a great danger in wandering from the way of understanding. So there is no mistake as to what the way of understanding is, let me lay a foundation concerning it by referring to some parallel passages.

A. 3 John 4 - walking in truth; 1 John 1:7 - walking in the light; Matt. 7:21 - doing God's will, are all synonymous with walking in the way of understanding

1. Just as Moses was divinely instructed to exercise care in following the pattern that God revealed for the tabernacle, so we are instructed to walk according to a divinely revealed pattern (Heb. 8:5; Phi. 3:15-17)

2. However when we fail to walk as we ought such will lead to our destruction (Phi. 3:18-19)

B. James 1:21-25 touches on how one can walk away from the way of understanding

1. He does not do what he has learned

2. He does things contrary to or not in association with what he has learned

C. Serious consequences are the result of not continuing in the way of understanding

1. Hebrews 6:4-8 - it is difficult to renew such a one to repentance

2. 2 Peter 2:20-21 - The latter end is worse and to never have understood would have been better

D. We can keep ourselves from becoming members of a congregation of dead people if we learn lessons from the experiences of other congregations mentioned in the Bible

I. Several churches in the book of Revelation were on the verge of dying

A. Ephesus - Left its first love (2:1-7). Though it was a church that was doctrinally sound and morally strong, it still had a problem. The implication is that there was still love there but not the "first love" that should have been demonstrated. What was that love they had placed on the back burner? We are not told. The possibilities are several:

1. Love for the Lord (John 14:15)

2. Love for the souls of men (Rom. 13:8-10; 2 Cor. 5:14)

3. Love for each other (1 John 4:11-12)

4. Since love for one another is a factor in receiving God's Spirit, if we do not love one another we are dead (1 john 4:13; James 2:26)

B. Pergamos - Tolerated false doctrine (2:12-17). Saints are to contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3) and “Hold fast the pattern of sound words” (2 Tim. 1:13)

1. Paul said that a little leaven, leavens the lump (1 Cor. 5:6-7)

2. We are not to receive those who go beyond (2 John 9-11)

3. We are to withdraw from those who are contrary (2 The. 3:6)

4. A brother once said, “There is no point at which the church can tolerate compromise or wink at sin when the name and faith of the Lord Jesus are involved.”

C. Thyatira - Tolerated immorality (2:18-29). They performed the service, they kept the faith and had great endurance. However they allowed sexual immorality to continue in their midst

1. Any child of God who falls into immorality must not be kept in our company (1 Cor. 5:9-11)

2. We are to flee sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:18)

3. Such is not fitting for saints (Eph. 5:1-7)

III. There were a couple of churches that were dead

A. Sardis - As far as the Lord was concerned, it was dead (3:1-6)

1. Their works were incomplete

2. Outwardly, they may have seemed like the ideal church (Matt. 23:27-28) Someone once said, “There are few things better organized than a graveyard, but there is no life there”

3. They left things undone (Matt. 23:23)

a. Individual Christians need to be perfected (Heb. 6:1)

b. The Lord made provisions for their perfecting (Eph 4:11-12)

c. Paul left Titus in Crete because that church was lacking (Tit. 1:5)

4. What is our condition when we fail to submit unto the purpose for which we have been created in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10)?

B. Laodicea - Was content to be mediocre (3:14-22)

1. Saints are called upon to abound in the Lord’s work (1 Cor. 15:58)

2. The word abound means, “to exceed a fixed number or measure; to be over and above a certain number or measure. To excel, to be morally better off; walking so as to please God.”

a. Saints are to abound in love (Phi. 1:9, 1 The. 3:12)

b. Saints are to abound in their giving (2 Cor. 8:2, 7)

c. Saints are to abound in their walk (1 The. 4:1)

d. Saints are to abound in all good works (2 Cor. 9:8)

3. Another word translated “abound” means to make great; increase

a. This is seen in regard to love (2 The. 1:3)

b. If we fail in this regard we will be barren and unfruitful in what we have learned in regard to the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:8)

IV. This gets us back to the text (Proverbs 21:16)

A. When we cease from walking in accordance with what we have learned in regard to the divine will, we are demonstrating that we lack understanding (Eph. 5:15-17)

B. Failure to continue in those things that pertain to the divine will, most certainly will result in spiritual impotence and ultimately, death (John 15:6)

Conclusion: As we have learned, it is very possible for an entire congregation to persist along a path that is inconsistent with the way of Christ. Let us beware lest we become “a congregation of the dead”